Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102656
Element CodeAMAEB04010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderLagomorpha
FamilyLeporidae
GenusSylvilagus
USESAPS
SynonymsBrachylagus idahoensis(Merriam, 1891)Lepus idahoensisMerriam, 1891
Other Common Namespygmy rabbit (EN)
Concept ReferenceWilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic CommentsOriginally described as Lepus idahoensis. Included in genus Sylvilagus (see Diersing 1984) but transferred to Brachylagus by Jones et al. (1992) and Hoffmann (in Wilson and Reeder 1993). Cano-Sánchez et al. (2022) returned Brachylagus idahoensis into synonymy with Sylvilagus.
The Washington State (Columbia Basin) population is genetically distinct from the remainder of the species, and is believed to have been isolated for at least 10,000 years, perhaps much longer (USFWS 2001).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-07-01
Change Date1998-11-02
Edition Date2024-07-01
Edition AuthorsHunting, K.
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of OccurrencesUnknown
Rank ReasonsThis species still occupies a relatively large range in the Great Basin and Intermountain region of western North America although that range has decreased as shrub-steppe habitats have been lost and degraded because of fire, grazing, invasion of exotic annuals, and agricultural conversion.
Range Extent CommentsThis species occurs from central and southern Oregon and eastern California discontinuously east through southern Idaho, southwestern Montana, and south-central Wyoming south into northwestern Colorado, and west through southwestern Utah and central Nevada, USA. The range extent of this species was estimated at about 700,000 km2 based upon habitat suitability modeling and observations (USGS 2018).
Occurrences CommentsThe number of occurrences of this species is unknown.
Threat Impact CommentsThe primary threat to this species is loss of sagebrush steppe habitat to a variety of anthropogenic land uses. Loss to agricultural development is considered a threat in Idaho (Roberts 2003). Loss of sagebrush steppe habitat to livestock grazing and invasive plants are considered threats in Utah (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources 2019) and Wyoming (Keinath and McGee 2004) where energy production is also identified as a threat. In some parts of this species range, loss of habitat to urban uses is also a threat. Frequent intense fires likely exacerbated by climate change are also considered a threat to this species. Since the early 1980’s over 26 million acres of sagebrush habitat has burned representing about 15% of habitat for this species (Western Watersheds Project 2023). Replacement or invasion of sagebrush by cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) has been extensive and reduces habitat suitability for this species and increases the frequency of losses to fire. Extensive grazing has also reduced the extent and quality of habitat for this species across its range by reducing the extent and availability of grasses and forbs consumed by this species. Existing and planned oil and gas development has eliminated and degraded through fragmentation sagebrush habitat for this species especially in Wyoming where about 42% of habitat for this species affected by oil and gas development (Western Watersheds Project 2023).